Washing machine



Nov. 8, 1938. F. H. WELLS 2,135,685

' WASHING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1957' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

FQA/VAZl/V A! M2216 By mwfiwaw Al I UKNE Y.

Nov. 8, 1938. F. H. WELLS 5 6 5 WASHING MACHINE I Filed July 17, 1937 2Sheeis-Sheet 2 [5'6 IN VEN TOR.

AIIORNEYS.

Patented Nov. s, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,135,685 WASHING MACHINE.

Franklin 11. Wells, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix HomeAppliances, Inc., South Bend, Ind.', a corporation of DelawareApplication July 17, 1937, Serial No. 154,115

2 Claims.

This invention relates to machines such as washing and other cleaningmachines, which has a control circuit containing a switch which isclosed by fastening the door. Various features of novelty relate to thestructure and the mount- 15 ing of this switch and to its arrangement inthe control circuit of an automatic machine of this character. These andother features of the invention, and additional objects thereof, will beapparent from the following description of the 20 illustrativeembodiment shown in the accompany-- ing drawings, in which:

I Figure 1 is a view, generally in vertical section,

through the machine;

Figure 2 is a partial section through the switch,

2 in ilzhe same plane as Figure 1 but on a larger sca e; I

Figure 3 is a partial section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

30 The machine illustrated is an automatically controlled machine forwashing, rinsing, and drying clothes. It includes a base ill, on whichare mounted saddles 12 supporting a horizontal cylindrical tub l4secured in place by means such as i 35 straps l6 which encircle it. Thisforms a chassis,

about which are assembled top and side panels l8 and rear and frontpanels 20 and 22, to form a cabinet inclosing the machine. Within thetub i4 is a perforated cylinder or 40 drum 24 mounted on a shaft 26journaled in bearings carried by the end members of the tub i4, andprovided with a pulley 28 driven by a belt or the like 38. The belt 38is driven by a power unit comprising an electric motor 32 driving a 45two-speed transmission 34 having a shift lever 88 operated to shift fromlow to high gear by energization of a solenoid 38.

The machine is operated automatically under the control of amotor-driven cyclic multiple 60 switch 48 (Figure 1), comprising andautomatically opening and closing a series of control switch contacts42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 (Figure 4).

The motor of this switch is indicated in Figure 4,

at 52. The multiple switch can be advanced manually, 'byturning a knob68, to close the switch 42 which closes parallel circuits between powerlines 54 and 56 through the motors 32 and 52, provided 'the safetyswitch described below is closed. This starts the machine in operation.The exact cycle depends on the shape of the '5 cams (not shown) in theswitch 40 which open and close the contacts 42-5B.

The contact 44 controls the circuit through the solenoid 38 of thetwo-speed transmission. Contact 46 controls a circuit through a solenoid58 which operates the valve 68 of a drain 62. Contacts 48 and 58 controlcircuits through solenoids 64 and 66 of hot and cold water inlet valves68. The water is injected through a nozzle 10 connected to the inletvalves by a conduit 12. A 14 The circuits through solenoids 38, 64, and66, are all in series with a switch 'I4'opened when a float 1.6 rises toa predetermined position in a float chamber 18 connected to.the interiorof the tub I4. This shuts off the water when the tub is filled to apredetermined level, and also prevents shifting into high gear when thetub contains water.

A thermostatic switch 88 may be arranged in series with the solenoid 66,under the control of the temperature of the'water in conduit 12, tomaintain the temperature of that water substantially constant whenthe'solenoids 64 and 66 are both energized. A manual switch 82 may beprovided, if desired, to insure that the solenoid 66 will always beenergized when the solenoid 64 is energized, regardless of the shape-ofthe cam controlling the contact 58; this is used for example in washingwoolens, where extremely hot water must never be used. When the machineis first started, soap may be introduced through 'a door 84, in the toppanel l8, controlling an opening in the top of the tub l4. Theparticular machine described above is more fully described, and isclaimed, in applications Nos. 129,429 and 129,412, filed March 6, 1937,by John W. Chamberlinand Rex Earl Basset, Jr., and by Adiel Y; Dodge,respectively.

The clothes or other materials to be washed are introduced into the drum24 through an openmg in the end thereof, after opening adownwardly-swinging door 90 hinged at its lower edge on the front wallof the tub l4. The door 98 not only closes the opening in the front wallof the tub, but also has a portion substantially in the .plane of theend wall of the drum 24, and partially closing the opening in the end ofthe drum,

and which prevents the clothes from coming out of the drum during theoperation of the machine.

The door 80 can be lockedshut by turning a handle 92 to rotate a shortshaft 04 rotatably carried by the upper margin of the door 90, therebycausing a latch or locking lug 96 to interlock behind a flange 08 on alatch plate I00 shown riveted to the front wall of the tub I4.

The latch 96 simultaneously engages and lifts a plunger I 02, guided ina bushing I0 carried by the latch plate I00, to close spring contactsI06 forming a safety switch in series with the entire multiple switchl0. Thus when contacts I06 are open, the door 90 being unlatched, themachine cannot be operated even if knob 53 is carelessly advanced. Thecontacts I06 are carried by a block I08 of insulating material, securedto the panel 22, or to the latch plate I00, or to the front wall of thetub I4, as may be convenient.

The above described safety switch is preferably inclosed and protectedby a hood-shaped stamping IIO carried by the front panel 22.

In operation, when the door 90 is closed and the latch 96 interlockedwith the flange 98, the safety switch I06 is closed automatically andthe multiple control switch ,40 is operative to cause the machine to gothrough itsregular cycle of washing, rinsing, and drying the clothes.If, however, door 90 is open, or if it is closed but not fully latched,the. switch I06 is open and the switch cannot function.

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it isnot my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particularembodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims. v

I claim:

1. A washing machine or the like comprising a side wall provided with anopening for the introduction of materials to be cleaned, a door for saidopening hinged to said wall at one side vof the opening, a latch platecarried by said wall at the other side of the opening, a control circuitfor the machine including a switch adjacent said latch plate, a devicemounted in the latch plate and movable crosswise thereof to operate theswitch, a hood-shaped stamping mounted on said wall and housing saidswitch and having said latch plate arranged substantially to close itsoperable to interlock withthe latch plate and simultaneously move saiddevice by direct engagement therewith to operate the switch.

2. A washing machine or the like comprising a side wall provided with anopening for the inopen side, and a latch on the door manually troductionof materials to be cleaned, a door for said opening hinged to said wallat one side of the opening, a latch plate carried by said wall at theother side of the opening, and provided with a locking flange, a controlcircuit for the a machine including a switch adjacent said latch

